This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-363480, filed Nov. 29, 2000; and No. 2001-359072, filed Nov. 26, 2001, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope dirt remover configured to remove the dirt of an endoscope.
Generally, to wash out the dirt adhered to an objective lens face of the endoscope, a means to wash the dirt by jetting a fluid from nozzles provided at the endoscope is known. This makes it possible to wash the dirt adhered to the objective lens face during the condition in which an insert section of the endoscope is inserted into a body. Thus, the dirt adhered to the objective lens face can be removed without removing the insert section of the endoscope from the inside of the body to the outside of the body. Therefore, even when the objective lens face is contaminated during treatment or observation, there is no need to interrupt the operation and to remove the endoscope from the inside of the body to the outside. In addition, there is an advantage that speedy action can be taken against unintentional bleeding or the like, and moreover, a surgeon""s stress or an operator""s (of the endoscope) stress is alleviated.
In surgical operation under the endoscope, for example, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,767, there is proposed another prior art for removing dirt in which the insert section of the endoscope is inserted into a washing sheath; physiological saline or the like as a washing liquid is injected from the frontal side into the washing sheath; the physiological saline or the like is guided to the objective lens face, and the dirt adhered to the objective lens face is washed out.
Further, for example, as in Jpn. UM Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 62-176817 or Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-29699, there is provided a technique for removing the dirt adhered to the objective lens face without using the liquid so as to wipe a surface of the objective lens by a wiper. In any of these two publications, the surface of the objective lens is wiped by the wiper, and the dirt is mechanically removed.
When the dirt adhered to the objective lens face of the endoscope is washed away by the jetted fluid from nozzles or in U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,767 in which the insert section of the endoscope is used to be inserted into the washing sheath or the like, slight dirt such as humor or blood can be removed. However, hard dirt such as tissue pieces cannot be easily removed. Even if the dirt has been successfully removed, a state in which wash liquid remains on the surface of the objective lens, i.e., a state in which water is poorly removed is established, and the field of view is often curtailed. Therefore, removing the endoscope from the body to the outside, and wiping the outer surface of the objective lens may be required.
On the other hand, in case of Jpn. UM Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 62-176817 or Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 8-29699, it may be required that a wiping member is abutted and pressed to a predetermined extent, against the objective lens face. A wiping member presented in the previous idea is configured so that only one end of the member is supported by one shaft. Thus, it is difficult to uniformly and sufficiently apply a compression force to the objective lens face at the side of the wiping member that is not supported by the shaft. Therefore, it is difficult to uniformly remove the dirt on the objective lens face. Further, a wiper mechanism is provided at the endoscope itself. Because such a mechanism is incorporated, a configuration of the endoscope becomes complicated, and the equipment itself becomes expensive. Furthermore, this mechanism cannot be used for the endoscope that has been already used in facilities after the mechanism has been provided afterward.
The endoscope dirt remover of the present invention comprises: a tube through which an insert section of an endoscope is inserted; an elastic member coupled with the tube; and a wiper blade coupled with the elastic member and wiping the dirt of the objective lens, at least part of the wiper blade coming into contact with an objective lens of the endoscope and moving on the objective lens together with deformation of the elastic member.